Airtel Africa CEO Sunil Taldar said that the relatively low level of smartphone use on the continent presents a major opportunity for growth. The telecom company continues to delve deeper into underserved markets

About Airtel Africa's performance, for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, the CEO announced that “with smartphone penetration of only 45.9%, we see significant room for manoeuvre to drive further adoption and play a key role in reducing the digital divide.” Taldar described the current smartphone penetration rate of 45.9% as a gap that Airtel Africa is strategically positioned to bridge, taking advantage of technology and a simplified customer experience. The telecom operator operates in 14 countries across the continent, with Nigeria being the main driver of its commercial growth.

The company recently launched an AI-based solution, Airtel Spam Alert, aimed at protecting customers and building trust in its network, which, according to Taldar, reflects Airtel's commitment to “taking advantage of technology to reduce barriers to the adoption of smartphones”.